Patients with aldosterone-producing adenomas are treated using surgery, and patients with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism receive medical treatment using mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs). However, the outcomes of surgical and medical treatment for primary aldosteronism (PA) remain unclear. Therefore, we compared the outcomes of surgical and medical treatment for PA and aimed to identify a specific subgroup that might benefit from medical treatment. We identified 269 patients who were treated for PA (unilateral excess: 221 cases; bilateral excess: 48 cases) during 2000-2015 at the Seoul National University Hospital and two other tertiary centers. The main outcomes were the amelioration of hypertension and hypokalemia. Treatment improved hypertension in the surgical treatment group (78.2%) and the medical treatment group (55.6%) (p = 0.001). At the last follow-up, hypokalemia was normalized in the surgical treatment group (97.1%) and the medical treatment group (93.7%, p = 0.046). Among patients with unilateral aldosterone excess, surgery provided advantages in resolving hypertension without worsening renal function. Among patients who were >60 years old or had impaired renal function, surgical and medical treatment provided similar amelioration of hypokalemia and hypertension. Three patients developed hyperkalemia after surgery, and no patients developed hyperkalemia after initiating medical treatment. The surgical treatment group exhibited a lower postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and higher serum potassium levels, compared to the medical treatment group. Surgical treatment provided better hypertension and hypokalemia outcomes among patients with PA, compared to medical treatment. However, MRAs may be appropriate for elderly patients with impaired renal function.
Keywords: Aldosterone-producing adenoma; Mineralocorticoid antagonist; Outcome; Primary aldosteronism.